A medical doctor and 3 others have been
reported dead from Lassa fever infection in Anambra state.
This was disclosed yesterday by a resource
person Dr. Jane Ezeonu at a workshop on Lassa fever organized by the state
Ministry of Health.
Ezeonu said the doctor died at the Nnamdi
Azikiwe Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, three days ago, and was referred to NAUTH
from Asaba, Delta state, warning the people to stop drinking raw garri and
protect their food from rats.
She explained that people don't acquire
immunity after suffering from Lassa fever, as believed in some quarters,
stressing the importance of general hygiene as antidote to its infection.
On his part, the Director of Public Health in
the state, Dr. Emmanuel Okafor who announced that the state had recently
recorded three deaths to the dreaded decease, said the essence of the workshop
was to train professionals, who would go to the grassroots to educate the
people on its prevention.
"In Anambra we don't know the number of
cases of the disease but we have three confirmed deaths", he said.
Meanwhile, the permanent secretary, ministry
of health, Dr. Okwuchukwu Chukwuka, said there was no epidemic of the disease
in the state.
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